‘No evidence of intentional cruelty’ in pond-cleaning incident that resulted in fish deaths: NParks
Cleaning company advised; NParks said incident at a condo was a result of lapses in processes.
On March 25, 2025, the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) shared a video on Facebook that depicted fish still alive and struggling at the bottom of a condominium pond that had been drained for cleaning. This incident ignited criticism from the animal welfare organization. The condominium, situated in western Singapore, and the name of the cleaning company were kept confidential.
The Housing and Development Board (NParks) responded to inquiries from The Straits Times on August 6, 2025, stating that their investigation into the matter found no proof of intentional cruelty. Instead, they determined that the incident could have been managed more effectively, with the fish deaths attributed to procedural errors during the cleaning process rather than deliberate acts of cruelty.
During their inquiry, NParks conversed with all parties involved, including the condominium management and personnel from the contracting company responsible for the cleaning services. The investigation revealed that while the cleaning company's staff attempted to remove and relocate all the fish to temporary holding tanks, some fish succumbed to the abrupt shift in environment following the transfer, while others perished after emerging from pipes once the pond was drained. Additionally, the fish observed in trash bags had been confirmed dead prior to disposal.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
